Amit Shah dares detractors to raise demonetisation during UP polls

The Week Correspondent
| November 11, 2016

BJP chief Amit Shah hit out at political leaders who have been opposing the demonetisation of high-value currency notes saying they should not stand for those who are hoarding black money.

At a press conference held in New Delhi on Friday, Shah also dared leaders—Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party's Mayawati, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal—to raise the issue during the elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

The BJP appears to be planning to use the anti-corruption move extensively during the assembly polls. Shah’s attack on these leaders assumes significance as they are the main rivals of the party during the upcoming elections. He said, “I can understand that hawala operators, terror operatives, drugs pedlars or those using fake currency are worried. But it was surprising that political parties are opposing it.”

“These four parties have exposed themselves,” he charged.

Pitching the demonetisation move as a major step in the fight against corruption, Shah said it would help fight terrorists, naxals, black marketers and would ultimately help the common man

He, however, tried to assure the people that the poor, farmers, and honest tax payers won’t be harmed. Those who deposit upto Rs 2.5 lakhs would not be questioned, but those depositing more money would be taxed more and inquired about their source of income, he clarified.

Meanwhile, as Rahul Gandhi stood in the queue to highlight the problems faced by the common man, the BJP took a swipe at him saying it was the first time he was standing in a queue like an ordinary person and added that this proves that the move was a success.

In a press statement, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said, “Those born into dynasties lived under the impression that they were born to rule. They never stood in a queue. Succession to positions of power was a birth right. Rahul Gandhi never stood in a queue to become the leader of his party. He superseded men of greater experience and competence merely because dynasties do not queue up”.

“Rahul Gandhi wanted to create a scene...by standing in a queue. He thought it was a great photo opportunity. He visited the bank perhaps for the first time. The irony is that his photo opportunity turned out to be a success of PM Modi’s scheme. Even those in privileged dynasties will now have to queue up and face the law,” Javadekar said.